Trump Just Gonna Keep Having His Free-Range COVID-19 Fests Until Everyone’s Dead
Donald Trump held yet another one of his maskless moron conventions in Pennsylvania this weekend. It was a packed crowd of thousands eager to watch Trump gloat after he nominated a Supreme Court justice who'll take away their health care during a pandemic. They'll probably be the first in line at the new Soylent Green plants.
There was a funny exchange on CNN Saturday night where anchor Ana Cabrera and correspondent Ryan Nobles tried to make sense of the president's casual disregard for human life.
CABRERA: What are you seeing out there in the crowd, because clearly, there isn't any social distancing.
NOBLES: You know, Ana, this is like every single one of these campaign events for President Trump. There is little to almost no regard for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. There are thousands and thousands of people here. They are packed in shoulder to shoulder. There are hardly any masks being worn.
Yes, it is just like one of those live performance events you'd love to attend but can't anymore because of how everyone might die. Trump likes to call his hate rallies “peaceful protests," but they are usually just glorified standup routines with a massive spread of COVID-19 as the punchline.
"Turn on the television. Turn it on, darling" -- Trump tells his now-familiar story about how he and Melania watche… https://t.co/nndoNF1zQ7— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1601167357.0
More than 200,000 Americans are dead. I don't recall George W. Bush regaling crowds with knock-knock jokes shortly after 9/11. It was somewhat of a somber time.
The few people wearing coverings were conveniently placed behind Trump, like public health props who might live to see 2021.
NOBLES:You're right to make note of the fact that all of the people sitting behind Trump are wearing masks. They're basically the only ones, aside from those of us on the press riser, wearing masks and that's a strategic ploy for the most part that's put on by the Trump campaign. They hand out those masks, they ask the people sitting behind the president to wear them. It does not reflect the rest of the crowd. So it shows that the campaign realizes that there's a problem in terms of the optics of these crowds taking place.
CABRERA: It's like they're trying to have it both ways.
The man is a monster. The people who work for him are monsters. Anyone even considering voting for him is a monster.
But they had fun! It started in the morning and lasted through the evening. It was an old Carnival Cruise Lines commercial. Just check out some horrifying pictures from Corona-stock.
Some political apparel on display in Middletown, including a homemade “Fill That Seat!” shirt and a mask that claim… https://t.co/vXS9fIEaA8— DJ Judd (@DJ Judd) 1601155857.0
The audience here at Trump's PA rally is getting rowdy ahead of the president's arrival-- doors opened at 4pm, and… https://t.co/WNBQUXZDh3— DJ Judd (@DJ Judd) 1601159087.0
CNN's DJ Judd reported that “no more than 30 percent of the people at Trump's very packed outdoor rally" wore masks. Unfortunately, 30 percent mask compliance doesn't get you “herd mentality." It just gets you dead like Herman Cain, although his Twitter account has no complaints.
Trump held a rally in another swing state he's losing, Michigan, a couple weeks ago. He talked up GOP Senate candidate John James, who's getting his ass beat by Democratic incumbent Gary Peters. Oh well, the big superspreader event didn't help Trump politically but it might've gotten someone really sick. At least one person at the rally has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Michigan Health Department is reportedly "unable to say whether this person already had COVID-19 prior to attending the rally or whether the individual contracted COVID-19 at the rally."
What we do know is that COVID-19 was at the rally, pressing flesh, probably giving autographs and posing for selfies when asked. COVID-19 is very generous with its time at these events.
Bob Wheaton, the public information officer at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, released the following statement to NBC News:
The department is unaware at this time of any outbreak associated with the rally, however, there is always a risk for COVID-19 to be spread at gatherings. This is why it's so important for people to wear masks and socially distance.
If the Constitution wasn't broken and in the shop, Trump would've been impeached ... again for repeatedly and willfully risking the lives of not just stupid people but everyone who has to interact with them. Yet Trump is still on track for more electoral votes than poor Walter Mondale, who never held unsafe sex rallies where he mocked people who used condoms.
Follow Stephen Robinson on Twitter.
Do your Amazon shopping through this link, because reasons.
Yr Wonkette is 100 percent ad free and supported entirely by reader donations. Please click the clickie, if you are able!
Stephen Robinson is a writer and social kibbitzer based in Portland, Oregon. He writes make believe for Cafe Nordo, an immersive theatre space in Seattle. Once, he wrote a novel called “Mahogany Slade,” which you should read or at least buy. He's also on the board of the Portland Playhouse theatre. His son describes him as a “play typer guy."
